What I know for sure....

As part of the Writing Prompt I would like to write about the things I know for sure...(1) I know that my husband will always report that he is still using whatever he took from the cabinet that he left open, and therefore it would be inefficient to close the cabinet. He is getting back to it, soon. Well, probably this week. (2) The men that live at my house (my husband and son) have selective sight. They can spot a hawk in flight nearly a football field length away in the sky and trip over their own shoes left out. They have no idea when the ketchup splashed on the floor or who opened the chips and left them on the counter. (3) My biggest fear about leaving said men alone in my home is not whether or not they will eat or wear clean clothes. My biggest fear is whether or not they will be able to put out whatever fires they start. If my sons pants will reach clear to his ankles and if my husband can find clothes to wear that remotely match. (4) And what I know for absolute sure is I will miss them and count the days until I can get back to put out their fires, match their clothes, shut their cabinets and buy them new pants.

My husband thinks he's funny...

   Kudos to Jean for writing a suspenseful book, my favorite. My husband has been known in our family history for his less than stellar gift giving abilities, especially for our anniversary. I think the 20th anniversary is a big deal, I spent mine at Shopko (think box store with less millions than Walmart) So this year he made a big effort and "The Assignment" by Jean Holbrook Mathews was one of the items he gifted me with. Just so you know this is a spoiler alert...one of the main characters is a red-headed nurse who travels overseas to participate in a humanitarian effort. And she is KIDNAPPED!!! So after the Navy has me a little freaked out about learning survival, evasion and recovery skills my husband just pores fuel on the flames. Just for those of you reading this without really knowing me....I'm a red headed nurse headed overseas to participate in a humanitarian effort. Really? My husband thinks he is SO funny. My daughter told me to use it like a horoscope, you know the first 5 pages for the first day etc. I'd liked it better when I was only worried about being seasick and claustrophobic, now I must consider all potential hostage situations too. It's not too late, maybe I should dye my hair.

Announcing my home away from home.....

My itinerary has been set. I will depart from Salt Lake City on April 13. I will board a ship very similar to this one. And there I will serve for 4 weeks as a PACU nurse and any other thing that I am invited to do. This is a very overwhelming opportunity and I feel so fortunate to be included. I'm blessed with so much abundance in my life and I know I will only recognize that even more when I return. My husband and son will remain behind to keep the home fires lit. I realize as I am away to serve others, that my family will rely on others to be served here at home. My blog will take a brief hiatus while I'm at sea, but when I return I plan to blog for each of the days that I have been away so that those that view this blog may take as big a part vicariously as they choose. Here's hoping I overcome seasickness and claustrophobia.

What would I ask a psychic?

So my writing prompt this week...was what would I ask a psychic?
      In just under 3 weeks I will set out for an opportunity to serve a humanitarian project aboard a Navy Ship in seas in and around South America. After anti-terrorism, human trafficing and survival, evasion and recovery training, I guess the first thing I should ask is if I make it back to my family? But maybe what I really want to know is how will I die? My grandmother always told me I was morbid. I don't really want to know the details or even the time of death. I just want to know if I prepared my family.
    I work as a nurse and see families face death all of the time. (Not, because I'm their nurse.) I have more than once asked my children what they would prefer, because in my arrogance I think I will get to choose or something. Should I go suddenly, without any warning? Like the result of a traffic accident or something less likely like a random shooting etc.? Or would they prefer a diagnosis with say a 6 week prognosis? No chance of recovery. In one, the grief would be sharp like a knife. The other there would be time to get my affairs in order and say my good-byes or good riddances. And my family could do the same.
   I've always told my children that if I was diagnosed with progressive dementia, I would be crazy right away. I would want to have fun doing crazy things while I could still remember it and realize all the people I was shocking. So morbid or not, I guess I would want the psychic to tell me how much time I had left with my family. Obviously, less time today than I had yesterday.

As most of my 5 followers know I am leaving soon to board a military ship for parts of the world that I have never seen. I get to travel through the panama canal and cross the equator. In the meantime, I'm going to enter the 30 day photo challenge over at http://www.blessedbeyondwords.com/. I'll post as many as I can before I leave and then when I return, I'll catch up. I should be home sometime after May 10. When you travel with the military all information is on a need to know basis and evidently I don't qualify as "need to know". But until then, check out what I did in Alaska.

Something new...

You may have wondered about my last post. I've decided to expand beyond being the photographer (okay mother, daughter, wife, duchess, registered nurse, respiratory therapist, primary chorister etc.) that I am to the writer that I want to be. I'm following the writer's workshop hosted at http://www.mamakatslosinit.com/ . It's way outside my comfort zone and a stretch for me, so why don't you come along?

What inspires me?- photo journal entry

    What inspires me? I'm inspired by many things but the one word answer would be nature. Sure nature is beautiful but what inspires me is the consistancy of change.
    Nature re-invents itself every moment of every season. When the ice of winter gives way to the first buds of spring, the ice is no less beautiful just different.

    Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the sun-ripened raspberry is no more or no less beautiful than the gentle slope and curve of a firm pumpkin.
   Our very lives are a reflection of nature as we re-invent ourselves. We begin life as children. The seasons change and we are siblings, friends and spouse. The long season of parenthood may beel terminal some days just like the deep frost of winter. EAch day so very similar to the day before. I remember thinking raising toddlers was much like being pecked to death by a duck, not very effective, moderately painful and most likely I'd live through it.
     THen the season re-invents itself and the next is empty. This seaso exposes all the interest held in reserve for the "next" season. You experiment with being a photographer, writer and entrepreneur still thethered by an apron string to your children because children always need mothering.
    Yes, nature inspires me because no matter the season there is purpose and beauty. It reminds me to bend with the ebb and flow of life.